RHYTHMIC gymnast Jade Faulkner will be on her way to the Land of the Rising Sun after being named in the Great Britain team for the World Championships.

Faulkner, a star member of the Swindon’s Esprit club will link up with her teammates in Mie, Japan on September 7.

The teenager is no stranger to the international scene, having represented Britain at various levels on numerous occasions, including a bronze medal-winning display at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney earlier this year.

Esprit spokesperson Mark Hows said: “It is a brilliant achievement for Jade who has already competed many times for GB as a junior and won team bronze at this year’s Australian Youth Olympic games.

“This, her first major international as a senior gymnast, is well deserved and proof of her hard work and dedication to the sport of rhythmic gymnastics.

“Well done Jade from all your friends at Esprit.”

Team GB for World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships: Jade Faulkner – Esprit coached by Deb Hows, Francesca Fox – City of Bath coached by Sarah Binding, Francesca Jones – Nene Valley coached by Vicki Hawkins, Nadya Aleksandrova – Coach / Head of Delegation Vicki Hawkins – Brevet Judge Louise Curley – Physio. This will be Francesca Jones’ second World Championships, the first being in Patras, Greece, in 2007, and for the rest of the delegation, their first World Championships. The team will depart on September 2 and British Gymnastics wish the delegation a very successful Championships.